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For Online E-newspaper
The East African : Sep 12th 2015
MINERAL TRADE WOES Licensing setbacks eat into Rwanda’s exports Page 33 BUSINESS SEPTEMBER 12-18,2015 RISING COSTS By ALLAN OLINGO The EastAfrican their weakening currencies, which have led to a rise in the cost of various goods and services across the board. The Tanzanian, Ugandan, Kenyan and Rwandan currencies have depreciated against the dollar in the past six months, setting off a rise in inflation and, therefore, retail prices. For example, with the C exception of Tanzania, fuel prices have been on the rise across countries in the region since May, with government agencies blaming the situation on the decline of their currencies against the dollar. Last month, the Kenya Energy and Regulatory Commission (ERC) increased fuel prices for the fourth time in a row, citing the sliding shilling. ERC director-general Joe Ng’ang’a said that, save for diesel and kerosene, the average landing cost of super petrol increased by 1.25 per cent, from $718.97 per tonne in June to $727.97 per tonne in July. “On the other hand, we saw the average landed cost of imported kerosene during the period drop by 11.74 per cent from $619.21 per tonne to $546.52 per tonne. Additionally, that of diesel also decreased by 8.90 per cent, from $610.94 per tonne to $556.55 per tonne,” said Mr Ng’ang’a. The price of super petrol has increased by 15 per cent in the past four months owing to the volatility of the shilling. In Uganda, consumers are paying Ush4,031 ($1.10) on a litre of petrol, up from Ush3,701 ($1.01) at the beginning of the year. In Tanzania, consumers got a reprieve last week when the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) lowered the price of fuel by between 5 per cent and 9 per cent in its latest monthly price caps, citing lower international energy prices and a stable local currency. “To a large extent, the fall in the local market prices has been caused by a decrease in the prices of petroleum products in the world market, as well as the stability of our shilling against the dollar,” Ewura said in a statement. The price of petrol dropped by Tsh137 ($0.063) to Tsh2,233 ($1.04) per litre, while diesel went down by Tsh194 ($0.09) to onsumers in the region are feeling the pain of Consumers in the region feel pain of volatile currencies Inflation is on the ≥ise ac≥oss count≥ies, and so a≥e ≥etail p≥ices, including the cost of fuel, elect≥icity and c≥edit f≥om comme≥cial banks PRICE CHANGES ACROSS THE REGION (JANUARY-AUGUST) Fuel prices per litre Tanzania Rwanda Uganda Kenya $0.94 $1.04 $1.22 $1.40 $1.01 $1.10 $0.88 $1.10 January 2015 Currency changes against dollar Jan-15 Ksh Ush Rwf Tsh 90.5 2,771 1,733 Percentage change 11pc 15pc 9pc 25pc August 2015 Sep-15 Percentage change 105.2 3,660 685.03 730.67 2,177.12 Source: Respective energy regulatory bodies Tsh1,832 ($0.88) per litre. In Rwanda, pump prices rose slightly in the August review by the Rwandan Ministry for Trade and Industry, with the cost of a litre of diesel up by 2.2 per cent to retail at Rwf933 ($1.5). The price of petrol rose by 2.6 per cent, selling at Rwf1,023. ($1.40) per litre. Electricity prices have also risen, due to an upward adjustment of the fuel and currency fluctuation levies. Last month, the director of Rwanda’s Utilities Regulatory Authority (Rura) Patrick Nyirishema said that starting September, consumers will pay more for water and electricity. According to Mr Nyirishema, Rwandan consumers will pay 35 per cent more for electricity at Rwf182 ($0.25) per kilowatt hour, up from Rwf134 ($0.18) — the biggest increase since 2012 — while water tariffs will rise by 19 per cent. In the past four months, Kenya’s ERC has increased the forex levy four times in a bid to compensate for the weakening shilling. The ERC adjusted the fuel cost on electricity consumed in August upwards to Ksh3.11 ($0.03) per unit, from Ksh2.51 ($0.024) in July. Similarly, the forex levy has increased to a two-and-a-half- 16.24% 32.08% 6.66% 25.63% With the exception of Tanzania, fuel prices have been on the rise across countries in the region since May.” Electricity prices per kilowatt hour $0.19 $0.23 $0.20 $0.25 $0.15 $0.24 $0.18 $0.20 Percentage change 21pc 25pc 60pc 11pc LOWER CARGO COSTS Kenyan taxman integrates Ugandan goods tracker at Mombabsa port Page 34 31 year high of Ksh1.49 ($0.014) per unit, from last month’s Ksh0.89 ($0.008) per unit. Uganda’s Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) said its upward tariff adjustment was informed by several factors, including the foreign exchange situation. “The movement in the exchange rate of the shilling against major currencies directly affects the costs for companies involved in the electricity supply industry (ESI), because a portion of these companies’ costs are incurred in foreign currency while the retail tariff is charged and revenue collected in shillings,” ERA said in its third quarter 2015 tariff review report. ERA said that its review indicated that the depreciation of the Ugandan shilling in the second quarter of 2015 has increased the sector’s annualised revenue requirement by Ush128.2 million ($36,055), thus increasing the end-user tariffs by a weighted average of Ush28.6/kWh ($0.08/kWh). Interest rates rise The region has also seen a rise in interest rates, with Uganda being the worst hit. Since April, the Bank of Uganda has increased the CBR by 500 basis points, from 11 per cent in April to the current 16 per cent, in a bid to support the shilling. This has seen banks such as CFC Stanbic and Standard Charted Bank raise their rates to an average of 24 per cent, affecting loan repayments. The Kenya Banks’ Reference Rate rose in July from 8.54 per cent to 9.87 per cent. “The change in the KBRR is very marginal, but the risk premium remained the same,” said Kenya Bankers’ Association chief executive Habil Olaka. Risk premium is the interest rate charged by banks on loans to private sector customers minus the “risk free” Treasury bill interest rate at which shortterm government securities are issued or traded in the market. Aso affected is car importation business. Already, Kenyan dealers Nissan and Mitsubishi have changed their pricing to dollars, quoting both their sales and receiving prices in the greenbuck, in a move meant to cushion them from forex losses, but one that will hurt buyers. Last week, DT Dobie, the local Nissan franchise holder, put out a newspaper advertisement showing in dollars, the prices of its single-cabin and doublecabin pickup trucks.
Sep 5th 2015
Sep 19th 2015


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17 Nov 2021
Nokia to Introduce Cloud-Based Software Subscription Service
The Index Today
Nokia announced plans on Wednesday to launch a cloud-based software subscription service aimed at telecom companies for providing analytical software and programs for security and data management.
Many technology companies have started shifting towards new subscription models which include upfront licensing that help businesses. Software subscriptions from Nokia are expected to be available in the market by early 2022, although some are being offered now.
The company set up its software decision back in 2016 and aimed to build software subscription models sometime in the future. Senior Vice President Mark Bunn said during an interview, “Now we have executed on it…we have built underlying technology to be able to operate at scale.” With a cloud-based software platform, business can lower costs and also easily manage customers by enabling them to try before buying or committing in the long run.
Nokia aims to target a market worth $3.1 billion during 2021 and 2025, and expects an annual growth rate of 25% to 30%. The company is currently in talks with potential customers to enhance its consumer base across regions.

domain: news


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Apple kan z'n zoektoch naar een nieuw opperhoofd staken, want Steve Jobs heeft tijdens z'n presentatie op de MacWorld in San Francisco bekend gemaakt dat hij weer full time CEO van Apple wordt. Hier het nieuws van News.com:
The announcement, which came during Jobs' keynote at the Macworld trade show here, caps a two-and-a-half-year search on Apple's part to find a full-time chief. Jobs has run Apple since the middle of 1997 as the "interim" CEO and has resisted calling the position anything more than a temporary solution.
The news will likely buoy shareholders, because Jobs has been instrumental in the company's comeback. Since Jobs took over from former CEO Gil Amelio, Apple has made a roaring comeback with the iMac and the iBook, landed a multimillion dollar investment from Microsoft and seen investments in companies such as Akamai skyrocket in value.
Apple's stock has also more than tripled since the co-founder returned.


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Could it be that some of the top executives at the cell and cable companies have been reading our latest rants in Mouse Print* about deceptive low-ball pricing and unexpected additional charges and terms. Probably not. But, as if to say “we can hear you now,” Sprint started a big promotional campaign last week touting its new “all-in” pricing plan.
Sprint’s CEO put it this way:
“If you went to a restaurant that advertised a cheeseburger for 99-cents, but when you show up, they said it’s an extra $2 for the bun or $1 for lettuce, you would feel misled. Yet, that’s what the industry has been doing with its wireless plans. Why can’t everyone just advertise the full price of both the plan and the smartphone – an All-In plan? That was the idea behind what we’ve created.”
As part of the campaign, Sprint produced this extended commercial that pokes fun at its competitors who double-talk customers about all the extra charges they impose.
Wow. One monthly price for service and the phone.
Not so fast.
The $80 price you see is not the price you pay. Taxes, surcharges [including USF charges of up to 17.40%(varies quarterly), up to $2.50 Admin. & 40¢ Reg. /line/mo. & fees by area (approx. 5-20%)], roaming fees are still extra, and there is a $36 activation fee. Although this screen doesn’t say it (a prior one does in small print), this is for the lease of a phone. So you don’t own the phone, and will have to pay $200 at the end of two years if you want to keep it.
And here’s a new one: apparently Sprint is capping/throttling the speed of streaming videos to just 600Kbps — more like the 3G speeds that it uses on its prepaid service for videos.
So much for advertising a price that is “all-in.” Thanks, Sprint.
UPDATE: This video streaming restriction caused outrage among Sprint users and watchers, and within 24 hours Sprint backtracked removing that throttling of video speeds.


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Marvel fans should start planning their 2023 Disney Cruise Line vacations, because the largest assembly of Marvel Super Heroes and Villains on one ship will be sailing next year on the Disney Dream.
Beginning Jan. 7, 2023, Marvel Day at Sea will take place on nine five-night Western Caribbean cruises sailing from Miami.
“Marvel Day at Sea combines the thrills of renowned Marvel comics, films, and animated series with the excitement of a Disney cruise during an unforgettable day at sea,” writes Disney Cruise Line Public Relations Manager Melanie Hager in the Disney Parks Blog. “This day-long celebration on select five-night Caribbean cruises features encounters with some of your favorite Marvel Super Heroes, action-packed entertainment, and Marvel-themed activities designed for the whole family to enjoy.”
Along with popular Western Caribbean ports of call like Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and, of course, Disney Cruise Line’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, passengers on a Marvel Day at Sea sailing will also experience everything Disney Dream has to offer, from Broadway-style shows like “Beauty and the Beast” to themed dining and activities for everyone in the family.
Disney Cruise Line 2023 Marvel at Sea Itineraries:
- Western Caribbean itinerary departing Jan. 7, Jan. 21, Feb. 4, Feb. 18, and Mar. 4, 2023 – Includes Georgetown, Grand Cayman and Castaway Cay
- Western Caribbean itinerary departing Jan. 16, Jan. 30, Feb. 13, and Feb. 27, 2023 –Includes Cozumel, Mexico and Castaway Cay.
Click here for more information about Disney Cruise Line’s Marvel Day at Sea.
Check out our video from Marvel Day at Sea on the Disney Magic:


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Google the word “greedflation,” and you get more than 1.1 million results. Greedy stocks have become a favorite topic for investors.
In Canada, where I live, the citizens are furious with the large grocery store chains — they’ve been growing their profits over the past few years, including before the pandemic, due to a lack of competition — who’ve been raising food prices seemingly at will.
Here in the U.S., Accountable US, a non-profit highlighting corporations’ and policymakers’ conflicts of interest, exposed S&P 500 companies that have raised their prices, generating higher profits, while inflation returns to historical levels.
“After an unprecedented 10 interest rate hikes in a row, it’s clear the corporate profiteering epidemic will persist no matter how many times the Fed doubles down,” stated Liz Zelnick, the non-profits Director of Economic Security and Corporate Power.
“Higher interest rates haven’t stopped S&P companies, especially in the big food industry, from inflating consumer prices despite reporting billions in extra net earnings and over a trillion dollars in giveaways to wealthy investors.”
Not surprisingly, corporate America is fighting these unflattering comments. Of course, when you’re a special interest group like these companies, you have plenty of cash to carry out a positive public relations spin.
However, if you’re an investor, and don’t care about corporate America’s greed, here are three stocks that continue to benefit from inflation.
Kimberly Clark (KMB)
The most ironic part of the report from Accountable US is that the five names it mentions as being greedy have generated average returns of -5.9% in 2023, with only one in positive territory.
While your first instinct might be to suggest karma is somehow involved, the reality is that the stock market tends to look six months out, so any of the profit gains made in 2022 would have been reflected earlier in 2023. All five, including Kimberly Clark (NYSE:KMB), have all lost a big chunk of their gains since May. This makes it one of those greedy stocks.
The Accountable US report highlighted that the maker of toilet paper (Cottonelle), facial tissues (Kleenex), adult diapers (Depend), baby diapers (Huggies), and feminine care (Kotex) implemented significant pricing actions in 2022, enabling it to grow its net income by more than 6%, to nearly $2 billion. As a result of its profit growth, it returned $1.7 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends.
The markets that KMB operates are not high-growth. Just look at the first quarter results. All three of its business segments experienced volume declines in Q1 2023. However, because of price increases ranging from 4% to 26%, it was able to eke out an overall 2% sales gain.
As a result of these price increases, the company raised its adjusted earnings per share guidance for 2023 to between 6% and 10%.
Accountable US said this about the company in its report:
“PepsiCo, whose Chairman and CEO recently admitted that the company might ‘have to take additional pricing,’ saw its net income increase by 16.9%  to nearly $9 billion while spending over $7.6 billion in stock buybacks and dividends, with stock buybacks increasing 1,313% from 2021.”
The key to paying out dividends and repurchasing shares as rewards to shareholders is to generate significant free cash flow. The best companies convert a large chunk of their income to free cash flow.
In the trailing 12 months ended March 31, PepsiCo generated a free cash flow of $5.33 billion [cash flow], 81% of its $6.58 billion [income statement] in net income.
The two go hand in hand. PepsiCo is one of the best at converting income to free cash flow. Pricing power has something to do with it.
General Mills (GIS)
General Mills (NYSE:GIS) continues executing its Accelerate strategy to generate sustainable revenue and profit growth, which will enable it to deliver top-tier shareholder returns over the long haul.
“The strategy focuses on four pillars to create competitive advantages and win: boldly building brands, relentlessly innovating, unleashing scale, and standing for good,” the company’s Q4 2023 press release stated.
In fiscal 2023 (May year-end), its sales rose 6% from a year ago to $20.1 billion. Its organic sales rose 10% in the past year. Again, like Kimberly Clark, volumes were down in 2022, but prices were way up, ranging from 12% to 16%. The word “price” is mentioned 25 times in its Q4 2023 press release.
Thanks to these price increases, General Mills exceeded $20 billion in annual sales for the time in its history.
On the bottom line, its operating profit in 2023 was flat to 2022, at $889.4 million. However, while its adjusted gross margin was 34.2%, 120 basis points higher than in 2022, its selling, general, and administrative expenses were 11% higher, largely due to higher advertising and employee costs. Otherwise, it would have grown its operating profits in 2023 thanks to higher prices.
On the date of publication, Will Ashworth did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.


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The divergent fortunes within the $200bn (£130bn) global smartphone market were laid bare this week when Taiwan's HTC reported a 98% slump in profits, confirming Samsung and Apple's seemingly unassailable lead over their rivals.
In 2010, HTC was the world's biggest maker of smartphones that used Google's Android operating system. Now it has joined two other former titans, Nokia and BlackBerry, in a desperate search for profit and growth.
As HTC reported a slump in first-quarter profits to £0.9m, Samsung Electronics, the world's largest maker of mobile phones and smartphones, was basking in a forecast that its quarterly operating profit would be around 8.7trn (£5bn).
The market is splitting into three tiers that allow only for high-end products in developed markets, a bevy of barely profitable products in the middle, and a hugely competitive low-cost segment in developing markets such as China.
In the last quarter of 2012, the last period for which figures are available, Apple and Samsung together shipped 111.5m smartphones, according to researcher IDC. That's more than 50% of a market that has tripled in volume over that time – and compares to a combined share of less than 20% back in the second quarter of 2010, when the once mighty Nokia had 37%.
The plight of HTC is even more stark when its market position is viewed through the prism of Google's Android software. Android is the leading operating system thanks to Samsung, beating Apple's iOS system and Microsoft's Windows Phone, which is used by Nokia. If consumers are flocking to Android phones, they are choosing Samsung and not HTC.
Benedict Evans, technology and telecoms analyst at Enders Analysis, calls the Android smartphone market "Samsung and the seven dwarves" – a reference to the 1960s when IBM dominated the mainframe market, and its seven rivals fought for scraps. The modern equivalents are China's Huawei, Lenovo and ZTE, Korea's LG, Japan's Sony, the now Google-owned Motorola, and HTC.
But Steve Brazier, chief executive of the research company Canalys, thinks that the HTC One phone, launched in February, offers a way back. "The HTC One is hot," he said. "The problem is it's not really shipping yet, which is why their first-quarter figures were bad. The product was delayed." Nonetheless, it faces a significant challenge from the Samsung Galaxy S4 phones, which also hits retailers' shelves this month.
Brazier adds that there is hope too for the other also-rans. For BlackBerry, he thinks it first needs to calm its US government clients, who have been eyeing the iPhone as an alternative. For Nokia, the solution is easier said than done: "It needs something radically different from what's out there."
HTC, BlackBerry and Nokia are fighting against a rapid decline. Since 2010, they have been squashed down from an aggregate market share of 61% to barely 10%. Now, none has more than 4% of the market. Samsung is at the top with 29%, ahead of Apple with nearly 22%.
HTC's problems sum up the difficulties that competitors face when they are trying to overcome two players that dominate half the market. The One was delayed because, reports say, it couldn't get enough cameras at the required specification to satisfy its needs.
Brazier said: "The big issue in the smartphone business is that Samsung and Apple are cornering the supply chain, so HTC can't get 'tier-one' components."
To be tier one you have to order in large enough volumes to demand quality and timeliness along with price discounts. Once you slip from that position, it's hard to recover it.
A decade ago, Apple cornered the markets in small hard drives and then solid-state storage to build its iPod, and then iPod nano, and dominate the music player market. Now it uses its growing cash pile to hire factories and production well ahead of time – locking rivals out. "HTC has a real scale problem," says Evans, the Enders analyst. "It's a problem that Nokia is starting to face as well. It's a problem of the reach and power that Apple and Samsung can bring to the market."
Samsung, meanwhile, is completely vertically integrated, owning the factories that make everything from the memory chips to the screens, and writing its own apps and code to go on the only element of its smartphones that it doesn't make – Google's Android operating system. And even that is free. Buoyed by colossal advertising and marketing spend which dwarfs even the likes of Coca-Cola, and with worldwide distribution, it is determined to control the mobile phone market. It aims to ship 500m smartphones this year, more than the whole market in 2011.
Analysts argue that Apple needs to do something radical too to catch the growth in emerging markets as the west becomes saturated. A low-cost iPhone is widely expected. That could consolidate the Apple-Samsung duopoly more firmly.
Even, so Brazier thinks things can turn around. "The smartphone business is very dynamic. I don't think it's played out. HTC could bounce back."
Does he think that bounceback will happen by the end of the year? He paused. "Well, no," he said.


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Scott Hannay, the international account manager at Hannay Reels, said it was global customers that kept the 80-year-old manufacturer going when the U.S. economy collapsed during the recession.
The Westerlo, NY company makes reels that hold industrial hoses and cables. Customers range from oil and gas companies to fire departments with 1,500 buyers in 15 industries.
Hannay still remembers Hannay Reels' first international order. "It was a reel for an agriculture business in Colombia," Hannay said of the request that arrived by fax in the 1980s.
After that inquiry, the company entertained two ideas: growing globally and servicing markets it had not before. Today, 25 percent of Hannay Reels' products are sold outside the U.S.
"If we didn't have exports in 2008 and 2009, we would have had to lay people off," Hannay said of the family-owned company that has never had a layoff in its 80-year history. "It was orders in Saudi Arabia and other countries that kept us alive."
International sales also help sales numbers during slow seasons. "It's winter now in Chile," Hannay said. Global sales make up for off-seasons in the U.S., presenting year-round profit opportunities, he said.
Hannay Reels ranked 18th on the Business Review's List of the largest Capital Region manufacturers, with $51.7 million revenue in 2012. The company sold 85,000 reels in 2013 and it's on pace to sell about 92,400 reels this year.
Hannay was one of four international sales experts who spoke Tuesday during a panel discussion about survival and global sales at the 2014 Advanced Manufacturing Conference in Troy, NY.
Micheal Stone, president of Stone & Associates, a strategic research and consulting firm, in Portland, Maine and moderator of the global sales panel, said that 80 percent of the world's purchasing power lies outside the U.S.
"Companies with unique products, superior performance and services, and specialized processes have the greatest strategic advantage and export potential," Stone said.
The panelists agreed: International sales are a challenge. It's difficult to weigh export requests.
Hannay offered advice to attendees: never just make a decision based on a company's website, don't entertain email requests that need orders up-front and always shuffle companies through a series of questions about why they want to do business.
"It's not about finding a business partner, it's finding the right business partner," Hannay said.


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12th June 2020
It has been a busy few months here at GPT, with the much-anticipated go-live of the Game Payment app in March. Unfortunately, the pilot had to be put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Believe us when we say that we are missing the pub just as much as you are! However, we did manage to get some players using the system before the shutdown, which was a useful experience and provided us with some valuable feedback.
The team at GPT are working hard to get everything in great shape for when the pubs can open again. We have been enhancing the product to provide:
We hope to re-start roll-out in June. If you are interested in taking part, please contact email@example.com.
In May, GPT received its first order from Reflex Gaming, the largest UK owned gaming machine manufacturer in the UK. Reflex Gaming have announced that all of its new machines will be enabled for Game Payment. This will mean operators have the option of allowing cashless payments on all their machines, ensuring greater safety for staff and customers.
Quentin Stott, CEO of Reflex Gaming, commented; “We are delighted to have the ability to provide cashless payments on our gaming machines. We’re also very excited about the age verification and social responsibility capabilities that Game Payment offers. The accuracy of this technology is far higher than any human can achieve. Providing greater safety and security to our end users is of paramount importance to us.”
From all of us at Game Payment Technology: thank you for your continued support, stay safe, and we look forward to working with you in the near future.


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Telegram Premium — the paid subscription that brings extra options to the messaging app — has been began rolling out to customers. The premium tier allows customers to entry up to 4GB file uploads, quicker downloads, and the power to convert voice messages into textual content. Alongside the launch of the paid subscription, Telegram has launched an inventory of enhancements for all customers on the platform, together with those who are usually not buying the premium tier. The Dubai-based firm has additionally introduced that now it has over 700 million month-to-month lively customers.
In India, Telegram Premium is obtainable at Rs. 469 a month on the iPhone. Pricing of the premium subscription on Android is but to be introduced. It is probably going that the corporate would go along with a country-wise phased strategy.
By paying the month-to-month subscription, customers on Telegram Premium get double the file uploads measurement restrict that’s of 4GB, up from the present 2GB allocation, as announced in a weblog publish. This signifies that customers could have extra space for sharing information and media on the app.
Users on the free tier of Telegram may even have the opportunity to obtain large-size media and information which are coming from a Telegram Premium account and are above 2GB in measurement.
However, Telegram Premium is touted to provide a quicker obtain expertise to assist customers rapidly entry massive media and information whereas on the go.
Telegram Premium additionally allows customers to comply with up to 1,000 channels, create up to 20 chat folders with up to 200 chats every, and pin 10 chats in the primary record. Paid customers may add a fourth account to the Telegram app. Further, the premium tier allows customers to save up to 10 favorite stickers.
The paid model additionally allows customers to write an extended bio together with a hyperlink. Similarly, paid customers get the power to add extra characters to media captions and reply utilizing up to 400 favorite GIFs.
Telegram has additionally enabled its paid customers to reserve up to 20 public t.me hyperlinks. Additionally, the premium subscription allows Telegram customers organise chat lists by altering the default chat folder. This will permit paid customers to get a customized folder because the default vacation spot every time once they open the app — rather than the present All Chats tab.
Users subscribing to the premium tier can convert their voice messages to textual content utilizing the corporate’s transcription assist.
Some stickers obtainable to paid customers on Telegram get full-screen animations. The firm additionally stated that its premium sticker assortment on the app could be up to date month-to-month by totally different in-house artists.
Full-screen animation results in premium stickers might be considered on the free Telegram tier. However, customers on the paid plan can solely get entry to ship these stickers.
In addition to the animated stickers, Telegram Premium customers recover from 10 new emoji. Users may set animated profile photos that can animate for all customers once they take a look at their chats and chat lists.
Each premium subscriber will get a particular badge that seems subsequent to their title within the chat record, chat headers, and member record in teams to spotlight their paid subscription. Users subscribing to Telegram Premium additionally get the power to change their default app icon with a premium star, night time sky, or turbo-plane.
Users who subscribe to Telegram Premium will now not see sponsored messages in massive, public one-to-many channels.
Aside from the up to date expertise obtainable to paid customers, Telegram has launched enhancements for all its customers. These enhancements embody the power to let group admins assessment new members earlier than approving them to write within the chat. Users will see a Request to Join button to let admins have unique entry to permit new members to be a part of their group.
Admins may chat with new customers to allow them to comply with the principles of their teams — earlier than permitting them to begin sending messages there.
Telegram has additionally added verification badges in chats for teams, channels, and bots which are associated to a recognized persona or organisation.
The app verifies channels, bots, and public teams if they’re already verified on no less than two social networks, reminiscent of Twitter and Facebook. However, not like Twitter’s verification, particular person consumer accounts on Telegram are but given the power to get verified.
Telegram has additionally enabled builders to embody a photograph or video within the “What can this bot do?” part of their bots to allow them to higher describe the aim and scope of their choices on the platform.
Users particularly on Android have acquired improved chat previews to allow them to view the entire chat by scrolling via them with a press and maintain gesture — with out marking them as learn.
There are additionally new buttons to allow you to mark a chat as learn, mute it, pin it, or delete it.
Android customers have additionally acquired the choice to routinely save media coming from customers, teams, and chats to Gallery. Furthermore, Telegram customers on Android have gotten higher audio and video high quality in voice and video messages.
On iOS, there may be an improved exterior sharing assist on Telegram that brings an animated progress bar.
Telegram customers on macOS have acquired an animated profile image creator that customers can generate customized profile photos, with stickers, animated emojis, and vibrant gradient background.
Aside from the enhancements meant for particular software program platforms, Telegram stated that it has included over 100 fixes and optimisations which are meant for all its cellular and desktop apps. These updates embody bug fixes and pace enhancements. Users on the most recent iPhone and iPad fashions with ProMotion assist additionally get smoother animations.
It is essential to observe that Telegram clearly stated its newest replace is being rolled out steadily. This means that you could be want to wait for a while to get all the brand new options.
Meanwhile, Telegram introduced that it now has over 700 million month-to-month lively customers. This exhibits a rise of 200 million customers in its month-to-month lively consumer base over January 2021 when it surpassed the mark of 500 million customers.
Nevertheless, Telegram’s transfer to begin monetising its growing user base by introducing the premium tier appears attention-grabbing as WhatsApp — alongside different messaging platforms — haven’t but introduced a paid subscription to generate revenues from their shoppers. The Meta-owned app, although, has businesses in focus to monetise its platform sooner or later.


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Kanye West upped the pressure on his retail collaborators, threatening on Twitter to withhold any product releases with Gap Inc. until he secures a seat on the company’s board of directors.
West was set to release a new line of apparel for men, women and kids called Yeezy Gap by next year. It’s not clear if he has the power to delay the line that already began the design phase. A spokesperson for Gap couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
The musician, designer and entrepreneur also called out Adidas AG, saying he’ll wear a rival shoemaker’s sneakers until he has a spot on the German company’s board. A spokesperson for Adidas declined to comment.
Snagging a board seat has been a recurring message from the artist. Earlier this month, West tweeted that “Black board seats matter.” West previously raised the idea of joining the boards, when he threatened to walk away from his deals with Gap and Adidas if not granted a spot.
Kanye’s new round of tweets underscores the growing pressure companies across industries face to diversify their boards following nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd by police. About a dozen of the largest U.S. companies still lack any Black directors, according to data gathered by Bloomberg News, and Black directors accounted for only about 10% of new board seats in 2019, down from 11% in the previous two years.
Gap shares were down 1.2% at 10:02 a.m. in New York after an earlier decline of as much as 4.8%. Adidas also declined.


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Aliner, the makers of the original a-frame camper, is entering the new year debuting at the Holiday Fair-Brussels RV Show – beginning to offer the Scout Lite, Ranger 10, and Ranger 12 campers throughout Europe.
“There’s a saying that growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together” said Aliner CEO Brett Randall. “This could not be more true for our team members. We are uniting with some incredible dealers in Europe to be able to have a global presence in the camping world. We are very proud of the diligent work on both the domestic team and our leaders in Europe, Costa Farmakidis and Patrick Mercier.”
The three models available in Europe will still be proudly made in the USA. Aliner is looking forward to the growth that this will bring to the US manufacturing sector and in the team member growth required to fulfill the upcoming orders.
“The Aliner campers are beyond innovative compared to what is currently offered in Europe so this is a rousing adventure for not only our European dealers, but the camping enthusiasts as well,” states Farmakidis. Holiday Fair-Brussels runs from Feb. 6 to 9.


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Archive for the ‘Bentley Arnage’ tag
Bentley’s Arnage is being discontinued and the company is planning a Final Series run of 150 cars.
photo courtesy Bentley
Bentley’s tradition-steeped Arnage sedan has been the automaker’s flagship four-door since its 1998 introduction, and with a new flagship waiting in the wings, it’s receiving a proper send-off. The Arnage “Final Series” will be a run of 150 sedans that will feature engine, body and interior upgrades to set them apart from the pack.
The Arnage Final Series will be powered by the 500hp, 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 from the Arnage T, mated to a six-speed ZF automatic. Exterior upgrades will include 20-inch alloy wheels, dark tinted grilles, “Le Mans” air vents in the front fenders and special badging. “Final Series” sill plates will announce the car’s pedigree upon entry, and once inside, occupants will find drilled aluminum pedals, a leather-trimmed rear seat cocktail cabinet with Final Series stainless steel flask and shot glasses, two picnic tables and four Bentley umbrellas with wood handles. Electronic upgrades include an iPod interface and a 10-speaker, 1,100-watt Naim for Bentley audio system.
“For 10 years, Arnage has enjoyed extraordinary success at the pinnacle of the luxury saloon market,” says Bentley Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen. “The Final Series is a celebration of the Arnage era as Bentley prepares for the next generation of its flagship model.”
For more information, visit www.bentleymotors.com.
(This post originally appeared in the October 23, 2008, issue of the Hemmings eWeekly Newsletter.)
Bentley’s new Blue Train boasts a 450hp twin-turbo V-8 that delivers a 168 mph top speed.
Bentley Motors, with the help of coachbuilding division Mulliner, will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the fabled race across France between the custom-bodied Bentley of Le Mans winner Woolf Barnato and the Blue Train.
The new Arnage Blue Train Series features a 450hp, twin-turbo, 6.75-liter V-8 which can dash from 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds and deliver a top speed of 168 mph. Chromed 19-inch wheels, a chrome radiator shell and quad tailpipes are giveaways, as well as slatted vents behind the front wheels and the black winged Bs.
Special touches inside include embroidered headrests and additional wood trim. If you haven’t already ordered one, you’re too late…
(This post originally appeared in the November 3, 2005, issue of the Hemmings eWeekly Newsletter.)


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Will Your Favorite Candies Soon Disappear From Stores In Idaho?
A California lawmaker is proposing a ban that would take candy off the shelves in the state, including Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Pez, and more. Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel, who is in a district just outside of Los Angeles, said, "Californians shouldn't have to worry that the food they buy in their neighborhood grocery store might be full of dangerous additives or toxic chemicals."
Could we see something similar happen in Idaho?
According to the NYPOST, the ban targets five substances: propylparaben, red dye 3, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, and titanium dioxide.
Idaho was ranked 16th in 2022 on the list of The Top 10 Most Healthy States in America, with the obesity rate at 29.50%. The European Union, Brazil, and Canada have banned potassium bromate because it's linked to thyroid and kidney cancers.
This legislation would also affect Trudent's sugar-free gum, some bread brands, and Campbell's soup.
If they adjusted the recipes, would they taste the same?
Probably not, but if they were to pass this bill, it would also keep companies in California from manufacturing products with these ingredients. So when it comes down to it, they're just trying to ban cancer-causing chemicals foods.
According to Menshealth in Idaho, it's "illegal for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing less than 50 pounds." But, with a law like that, I can't imagine Iahao passing a bill like the one proposed in California.
As a fan of Skittles and probably another 100 different things that this would affect, I would be disappointed. Let people decide whether or not they put these harmful chemicals in our bodies. It's not like they're trying to ban smoking.


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D23 news and Dave Filoni shares an unaired encounter
From the Bacta Tank is a fan broadcast designed for open discussions on the latest Star Wars news and rumors. Also, there is a special Star Wars Rebels Edition, where the hosts discuss and breakdown the current episodes of the hit television show from Disney XD and Lucasfilm. Additionally, the hosts now offer special Patreon exclusive broadcast.
This week the hosts discuss all the Star Wars related news that came out of D23. Also, a discussion on Colin Trevorrow and his recent cinematic blunder.
- Dave Filoni shares unaired Star Wars Rebels encounter between Ahsoka and Bendu.
- Despite his recent blunder of a movie, Colin Trevorrow assures Star Wars fans that he’s still the right director for the job.
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi behind the scenes feturette is very telling and is filled with clues.
- The Last Jedi character posters have been released and they’re cool!
- Addtional Battlefront II footage has been released during D23.
THE LAST JEDI FEATURETTE
THE LAST JEDI CHARACTER POSTERS
Star Wars fans – How can you help our show stay alive?
If you enjoy the show, please share, like and subscribe on iTunes and Stitcher. Also, leave us reviews! Every review helps our show gain popularity and boosts our rank. Additionally, to show your support, you can pledge to our Patreon Page.


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NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, DC, August 6, 2014 — Westwood One announces that Jim Jones has been named Senior Director, News Affiliate Sales. In his new position, Jones will be overseeing affiliate sales for Westwood One’s News vertical. He will be based in Washington, DC, and will report to Dennis Green, Senior Vice President, Affiliate Sales for Westwood One. This is a homecoming for Jones, as he was formerly Vice President of Affiliate Sales, News/Talk for Westwood One in Washington, DC, for 15 years. He was most recently with Focus 360. Dennis Green, Senior Vice President, Affiliate Sales for Westwood One said "Jim has an extensive knowledge of the news product and has been involved in the affiliation of major news networks with a high level of success. Our affiliates will have the benefit of Jim and his team’s knowledge of integrating our new white label news product into the stations lineup as we find new audiences to bring news and information from around the world." Jones said "I am excited to rejoin Westwood One, helping radio stations deliver meaningful news and information to listeners across the country. After more than 20 years producing and selling news/talk content, I am glad to represent the best news brands and content in the business. I look forward to continuing the highest level of service and delivery with Westwood One’s new white label news product, launching this fall."
About Westwood One
Westwood One, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cumulus, activates the power of sound to deliver compelling cross-platform audio content to more than 9,100 media partners and 225 million consumers each week. Westwood One’s rich array of content and services includes live play-by-play sports and sports talk programming; music and entertainment programs; news, talk, and information programming, 24/7 music formats; prep services; customized music, jingles and imaging; and national sales representation. www.westwoodone.com.


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A large wave of Snapdragon 865 new phones will debut this month. Among them, we can mention the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, Xiaomi Mi 10 series, OPPO Find X2 series, Nubia Red Devils 5G gaming phone, Realme X50 Pro, iQOO 3 5G and so on. As for the latter, today, the company issued an official statement concerning the first 2020 flagship.
At the same time, the manufacturer released the iQOO 3 5G poster. After PhotoShop processing, it can be found that the iQOO 3 has a matrix camera shape on the back and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top.
Gizchina News of the week
More importantly, the iQOO 3 5G debuts UFS 3.1 flash memory. It is reported that UFS 3.1 achieves higher write performance, lower power consumption and more stable performance management. By the way, earlier the Xiaomi Mi 10 was said to come with such flash storage. But later, the company officially denied this news, saying their flagship will sport the UFS 3.0, which has a twice faster read and write speed than the previous generation model.
iQOO 3 5G Features
In terms of key hardware features, the iQOO 3 5G uses a 6.44-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 × 1080. It is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 flagship platform. There is also up to 12GB memory, 256GB storage, and 4370mAh battery. And when it comes to photography, the phone sports a 16MP front-facing camera and a 64MP + 13MP + 13MP + 2MP quad-camera. At the same time, according to the information of the National Quality Certification Center exposed in January, a new 5G model V1955A has obtained 3C certification. This machine is equipped with a new charger model V5550L0A0-CN and supports 55W super flash charging technology. There is every reason to think we are talking about the same model.
The machine will be officially released this month. If taking into consideration the current epidemic situation, the iQOO 3 5G may be shown live online.


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New Look partner Re-Fashion uses cloud-solution EVRYTHNG to trace clothing lifecycle
New Look's partner Re-Fashion is collaborating with cloud-solution company EVRYTHNG to help the industry move towards a more circular future by tracing product's recycling journeys.
New Look's partnership with Re-Fashion aims to encourage consumers to recycle and re-use clothing and tackle the issue of 350,000 tonnes of good quality clothing being sent to landfill every year in the UK.
By partnering with EVRYTHNG, the two are adding more transparency to the clothing recycling journey by using the company's Active Digital Identities™ solution, which creates a unique digital profile for every garment to generates and delivers real-time data which allows them to track the garment's entire lifecycle.
It also allows consumers to understand a garment's journey by scanning the digital identity on a product's label to receive product information and personalised experiences.
The company claims this creates greater operational efficiency, better consumer engagement and higher brand advocacy.
Steve Lyons, director and owner of Re-Fashion commented: “At Re-Fashion we’re dedicated to creating fashion circularity and re-use, but needed a way of tracking every item we sell so we could encourage its return. By matching our approach with EVRYTHNG’s technology, the recycling method becomes easier to action by creating the digital identities for items either at the point of production or, as they’re processed by our team.”
Sue Fairley, Head of Sustainability, New Look said: “We don’t want people to throw away their products, but we know that they get bored with them, which is why circularity is so important for the fashion industry. We can’t continue to deplete the world of its resources and now technology is at a point where we can address those concerns and introduce what we call the ‘kind’ product.”
Cyrus Gilbert-Rolfe, CRO at EVRYTHNG added: “What’s truly exciting about this union is that we’re already working with the leading fashion brand, New Look, to support their sustainable efforts further. What we need is more brands keeping more garments in the circular economy. That’s good for the brand, it’s good for the consumer and it’s good for the future of the planet.”


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The anticipation about Disney's (DIS -0.32%) direct-to-consumer offering -- Disney+ -- is building, with its debut less than six months away. The company held an investor day last month to reveal details about its upcoming service, and a survey in the wake of the event seemed to spell trouble for Netflix (NFLX 1.75%). As many as 14.5% of the streaming giant's current U.S. subscriber base, or 8.7 million customers, said they were at least considering canceling their Netflix subscription in favor of Disney+, which could potentially cost Netflix more than $13 billion per year.
Now that the initial excitement following the Disney+ announcement has died down, a new survey is casting doubt on the original findings, suggesting that Disney+ isn't as big a threat to Netflix as originally thought.
Not a Netflix killer
Now, as few as 7% of Netflix customers say they will cancel their subscription in favor of Disney+, according to a recent survey by Piper Jaffray. The study asked more than 1,500 current Netflix customers if they planned to subscribe to both Disney+ and Netflix, only Netflix, or only Disney. A full 73% said they didn't plan to subscribe to Disney+ at all, while 20% indicated that they would subscribe to both services, and just 7% said they would subscribe to Disney+ and cancel their Netflix subscription.
The worst-case scenario, then, would involve about 4.2 million customers of Netflix's 60 million U.S. subscriber base and potentially $655 million annually in lost revenue for the streaming leader. The reality could be even less problematic.
Michael Olson, senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, weighed in on the results, remarking, "We typically find that a larger percentage of subscribers say they will cancel certain services than the percentage that actually follow through on it, so the 7% figure is likely overstating the risk to the Netflix U.S. sub base."
It's important to note that while Disney plans to launch its service at $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year, this is an introductory price that will likely increase over time. While it seems like a screaming bargain right now, Disney will eventually need to make money from its nascent streaming service.
Additionally, the survey only included subscribers in the U.S., Netflix's most mature market. International adoption has been driving the bulk of the company's growth in recent years, with subscribers increasing 31% year over year in the first quarter. Netflix has a multiyear head start creating local content for its international markets, so the release of Disney+ could have less of an effect on Netflix's international growth.
There's little doubt that competition is heating up in the streaming space, and with a library of films and television shows going back decades, Disney shouldn't be taken lightly. Netflix has the advantage of already being the default for many consumers, so it's unlikely that many will actually cancel. The cost of a monthly subscription is inconsequential for most U.S. consumers, leaving room for both companies to thrive in the changing media landscape.


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The S Voice offers much better capabilities and features for the Bixby AI assistant. It will be able to answer voiced questions from users, and it may even have dedicated hardware button. Bixby is now set to compete with Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri. It also needs to be much better than the current version of S Voice.
Every other information and rumor about the S Voice needs to be confirmed by Samsung yet. The time for the release of the Galaxy S8 is near, so we can expect to hear many news and rumors about the devices very fast.


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- In Pics: Bollywood bombshells feature on magazine coversTen Boldest Bollywood moviesPlot leaked: Find out what Salman Khan\'s Kick is all aboutKatrina copies Deepika\'s bikiniWhat is Salman Khan's fee for Bigg Boss 8 and his conditionsEx lovers Ranbir-Deepika get cosy in \'Tamasha\'Shankaracharya in trouble for his remarks against Sai BabaDelhi Zoo soon to give more to animalsThese B-Wood daughters will not make a debutRekha can look awful also
India will be expecting a lion's share of medals from shooters, boxers, wrestlers and shu
Petrol price cut by 95 paise from midnight Last Updated : 15 Nov 2012 07:27:32 PM IST File photo related to petrol pump in Delhi.
Petrol in Delhi would cost Rs 67.24 a litre from midnight tonight, down 95 paise from Rs 68.19 a litre.
Prices vary from city to city due to differential local sales tax or VAT rates.
The last reduction in petrol price before this was the 56-paise cut to Rs 67.90 a litre on October 9. Thereafter, the rate was hiked by 29 paise following government decision to raise the commission paid to petrol pump dealers.
"Presently, the international oil prices are relatively stable," a statement by Indian Oil Corp, the nation's largest fuel retailer, said.
Petrol price in Mumbai has been reduced by Rs 1.20 per litre to Rs 73.53, while it will cost Rs 70.57 a litre in Chennai from tomorrow instead of Rs 71.77 a litre currently. In Kolkata, the price has been cut by Rs 1.19 to Rs 74.55 per litre.
Global gasoline rates (against which the domestic price of petrol is benchmarked) have come down, but the rupee value against the US dollar remains volatile.
"There has been significant volatility in the Indian rupee-USD exchange rate and is currently very weak with uncertainty about its future direction," IOC said. "The trends in the international oil market and Indian rupee-USD exchange rate are being closely monitored and the same shall be reflected in future price changes."
Petrol prices reduced by 95 paise per litre:
The government had in June 2010 deregulated petrol prices giving oil companies freedom to fix rates in line with the cost. However, prices have seldom moved in line with cost and oil companies buckled under political pressure to keep rates checked to help the government manage inflation.
IOC and other state retailers, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum, lost over Rs 2,000 crore on selling petrol below cost during the first six months of current fiscal. And since the product is deregulated, there will be no subsidy support from the budget to cover these losses.
"It may be noted that oil marketing companies are bearing the burden of a loss of over Rs 2,000 crore on sale of petrol during April-September 2012 due to inability to change retail selling prices to the desired extent in line with market conditions," IOC said.
Besides petrol, fuel retailers sell diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene at heavy losses.
IOC said oil firms were losing Rs 9.84 a litre on diesel, Rs 31.30 a litre on kerosene sold through PDS and Rs 478.50 per 14.2-kg cooking gas cylinder supplied to households.
"Projected under-recovery (revenue loss) on these products is expected to cross Rs 160,000 crore for the current year," it added.
Following are the revised petrol prices in four metros after oil companies announced a cut in rates. New prices are effective from midnight tonight.
Cities Current Price Revised Price Decrease
Delhi 68.19 67.24 0.95
Kolkata 75.74 74.55 1.19
Mumbai 74.73 73.53 1.20
Chennai 71.77 70.57 0.20
(All rates in Rs/litre)
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The Zoology department of Jawaharlal Nehru College (JNC) at Pasighat in East Siang distric
Prices of QWERTY handsets of Blackberry have been slashed to make them affordable.


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FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Ordering food on DoorDash will cost you a bit more if you order from a Fresno restaurant.
"We were a little disappointed when we saw the Fresno fee," said Mike Karbassi, Fresno City Councilmember.
Karbassi says restaurants reached out to the council concerned about transparency with third-party delivery apps. So they decided to take action.
"We created a temporary emergency order that would even the playing field so one, restaurants would have a cap on the fees that could be charged. Two, the drivers who you tip, get 100 percent of the tip," Karbassi said.
"Unfortunately as a response to that, they decided to create a Fresno fee. The problem with the Fresno fee is our city gets zero dollars out of that."
We reached out to DoorDash.
In a statement, they said, "We understand the challenges restaurants are facing and are committed to supporting them while providing the best possible experience for our entire community. Operating our platform, paying and insuring Dashers, and ensuring high-quality service can be expensive, which is why in many markets, where local governments have passed pricing regulations, we have begun charging customers a small additional fee."
Many local restaurants are doing whatever they can to get their products out.
The owner of Vino Grille & Spirits, Chuck Van Fleet, explains why you will see higher prices on the app than in the restaurant.
"Because they charge 20 percent, we have to raise our prices 20 percent in order to cover the fees. Now they just charge the consumer more fees," he said.
He hopes restaurants can resume indoor dining soon so they can survive.
As for the city's temporary emergency order, it expires 90 days after the state of emergency ends.
Leaders are hopeful that the Fresno fee will be dropped.
While restaurant owners are thankful to have some business through these apps, they say the best way to help restaurants is to order directly through them.
Doordash charges Fresno customers an extra fee
More TOP STORIES News


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Developers talk future of downtown at real estate event
Downtown Dayton was the focus of a lot of speculation at the NAIOP Dayton State of Commercial Real Estate event Tuesday morning.
Real estate and development professionals from around the region gathered to hear an update on all sectors of the local real estate market, including urban housing and hot areas for office, industrial and retail development. And while the suburbs continue to dominate most of the leasing, sales and new construction activity, no one has forgotten the importance of a strong urban core to continue to support suburban development.
“We understand that the stronger downtown is, the better we all do,” said Jerad Barnett, president of Mills Development, whose work recently has been focused on office development in Beavercreek.
Kelly Gray, vice president with Equity Inc., said downtown has room for several types of retail not currently present, such as a boutique grocery store, a dollar store, clothing retailers and more service tenants.
And while much was made of the Millennial generation’s desire to live in hip urban areas, Dayton is not likely to see the kind of milestones current residents so desperately want — like a downtown grocery or big box retailer — until it hits in the range of 4,000 to 5,000 downtown housing units, said Joe Williams, a partner with Wagenbrenner Development.
Williams has helped redevelop brownfield sites in Columbus into mixed use urban housing projects, and said he sees a strong future for the Oregon District to look similar to the Short North in Columbus, but not for another 10 to 15 years.
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Food alone cannot solve the world's malnutrition crises but only three countries are looking beyond hunger to the other major driver...
Matthew Ponsford 28 Aug 2017
Three outstanding African innovations walk away with Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2017 total cash prize of US$150 000...
31 Jul 2017
Africa month recently reminded us of just how far we've come as a continent. Sthe Shabangu of Samsung Africa, urges leaders and innovators not to forget what still needs to be done...
Sthembile Shabangu 22 Jun 2017
Innovators from nine African countries shortlisted for their outstanding innovations across the healthcare, engineering, energy and communications sectors...
19 Jun 2017
The inaugural Africa-ASEAN Business Expo (AABE) 2017 launches 6-8 November at the Sandton Convention Centre to establish a new trading launch pad...
12 Jun 2017
More than 1.4-million people in Angola, including many children, have been affected by a "chronic drought" that has increased the risk of disease, a UN report said on Wednesday, 17 May...
19 May 2017
Africa's overall growth has slowed but new research shows long-term fundamentals are strong and there are big business opportunities ahead...
16 Sep 2016
A study shows ecology and geography are key influencers in the genetic makeup of the Khoisan people...
8 Sep 2016
With smartphone usage on the up and IT literacy expanding, bringing Internet of Things (IoT) level connectivity is a natural progression for this tech-hungry continent...
Brett Parker 16 Aug 2016
After more than a decade, Zimbabwean patients will now have access to cardiac surgery within their own borders...
7 Mar 2016
If there is one industry where everything is in flux and companies have to re-jig their shapes and formats all the time, it is SA's packaging manufacturers. Apart from constantly changing industry conditions, not least from encroaching rivals, each firm has specific obstacles to get over.
Mark Allix 2 Jun 2014
Food security in the sub-Saharan African region improved this year because of greater food availability and income growth‚ the DuPont global food security index shows.
7 Aug 2013
SA's biggest drug manufacturer Aspen Pharmacare expects its Asia-Pacific business to generate the biggest share of the company's revenue by the end of the year‚ its chief executive Stephen Saad said at the release of its interim results for the six months to December.
Tamar Kahn 8 Mar 2013
International refined foods manufacturer Nestle invested US$12m into its Zimbabwean operations in 2012 despite the uncertainty surrounding its future in Zimbabwe as the government has not yet decided upon its indigenisation compliance plans. However‚ the Swiss company has reiterated its commitment to its operations in the country.
Tawanda Karombo 4 Jan 2013
Following a trade agreement reached between the World Trade Center Africa Initiative and Italy, business between Africa and Europe is set to receive a significant boost. The agreement will see business leaders from 12 African countries meet their Italian counterparts in on-site deal rooms next year, at the inaugural Afritalia Commerce Exchange.
12 Oct 2011
LONDON: The panel of judges has been announced for the eighth Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards set to take place on 30 June 2011. The annual awards aims to encourage more prolific reporting of economic opportunities in Africa and to celebrate excellence in business journalism.
15 Mar 2011
Here is a roundup of the posts published on sxswsa.co.za this weekend. We're over halfway through SxSW Interactive in Austin, Texas, but there's still plenty material in the works, so keep an eye on the blog for another few days. Also, follow @sxswsa, or the entire #sxswsa Twitter list. [view twitterfall]
Ivo Vegter: @sxswsa 14 Mar 2011


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Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Assassin GRS just got even better. After taking on board feedback received from our Assassin Sailors we have decided to produce the Assassin evolution 2. Some of our sailors were having trouble with slow lowriding sailing, mainly before the starts, and would have quite liked to have a raised foredeck. The new foredeck incorporates the upper wing bars into the mould, giving a stiff flex free platform for the mast. Heavy air performance has been optimised by lowering the mast to reduce windage and increase righting moment. A new tubular gantry has stiffened up the rudder area and greatly improved downwind control. An option of high modulus wing bars is also offered.
The whole boat itself is a lot stiffer with minimal hull penetrations to reduce the risk of leaks, and a new wingbar setup, using easily obtainable round bars, which are extremely quick to put together and assemble at regattas if needed.
Reviews of the new model have been highly positive, the excitement is contagious as summer slowly hits downunder.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The New Zealand Assassin Moth fleet has grown somewhat in the last few months. We have made the most of it to work on fine tuning and refining the heavy air performance.
The new Assassin website will be up this week where spare parts can be purchased online, along with all the latest goss. We have several new upgrades available including a new tubular gantry, raised foredeck and a whole new weapon, the evolution 2 about to hit the water. It will be launched this week so watch this space.
Also check out our new Asian dealer based in Singapore - www.sailorhub.com and our European dealer based in Austria - Niki Liebscher who is doing a great job promoting the Assassin in Europe.


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Frankie’s Fish and Chips in Brae, Shetland, has gone one better than last year by winning a prestigious “good catch” award.
The accolade, recognising commitment to seafood sustainability, came at the National Fish and Chip Awards in London today.
Frankie’s was runner up in the good catch category last year and its success this time adds to an impressive haul of honours.
It was crowned top independent takeaway fish and chip shop in Scotland in each of the past two years.
Marine Conservation Society fisheries officer Samuel Stone, who was on the good catch judging panel for today’s awards said Frankie’s did well across the board.
He added: “Frankie’s sold a very high proportion and had a good range of sustainable seafood as well as excellent consumer resources and promotion of the best seafood choices.
“Frankie’s has also been a great ambassador and even helped influence suppliers to gain Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) chain of custody status, ensuring the traceability of their certified haddock.”


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Such stores are still trying to “claw their way back” to pre-crisis levels, with the pace of recovery drawn out, Scottish Retail Consortium boss David Lonsdale has warned.
The warning comes on the back of new data for the sector – and in the wake of tighter new hospitality restrictions north of the Border.
British Retail Consortium-Shoppertrak figures reveal that footfall across the UK fell by nearly a third year on year in September, with only a 4.7 percentage point improvement from August.
For high streets specifically, many of which have been hit by an increase in home working, it fell by 37 per cent, retail parks 7 per cent, and 36.1 per cent for shopping centres, with many of the latter facing the closure of a cinema anchor tenant.
In Scotland, footfall in shopping centres and malls was down by just over a third, a slightly better performance than the 43 per cent drop seen in August, and the fifth-highest drop of all UK regions. Shopper footfall in Glasgow was down 29 per cent, again a slight improvement on the 35 per cent fall recorded the previous month.
Lonsdale said: “Scottish stores lost £2.2 billion of retail sales over the first six months of the pandemic, and have yet to claw their way back to pre-crisis levels. Shopper footfall is gradually returning but the improvement is painfully slow.
“The impact on city-centre footfall in particular of the latest government restrictions on hospitality, coupled with warnings about using public transport, have yet to be seen but are unlikely to help over the next few weeks. This is a real worry for consumer-facing firms in the run up to the critical Christmas trading period.”
Karen Forret, owner and MD of clothing retailer Wilkies, which has 15 stores across Scotland, told The Scotsman there must be encouragement by the government for consumers to "come out and shop safely”. This is to prevent “irreparable”, long-term harm to high streets, communities and the retail workforce, with footfall currently lagging far behind, especially in bigger town centres and cities.
“Non-essential” retailers have followed all rules to reopen and keep staff and customers safe, she stressed, adding: “Do ministers realise how quickly an empty unit dilapidates (sic) and how hard it becomes to find a tenant willing to invest in them to reopen them?
"We are open for business, we welcome customers safely into our stores. We need to live with this virus and not allow scaremongering to destroy the retail industry and the investment we put back into the economy and our communities each year.”
However, there is some cause for optimism. Yesterday, sportswear retailer Decathlon said it was targeting several Scottish locations after unveiling a £1 million Aberdeen store, and seeing its existing superstores in Edinburgh and Glasgow achieve year-on-year growth.
Additionally, more than half of Scots always support shops on their high street, according to a recent study – although it also said the sector needs backing to survive the consequences of Covid-19.


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Norwegian Cruise Line to premiere "The Great Cruise Cookoff"
In the new chapter of "EMBARK with NCL" the shipping company's chefs compete for their dish to be presented on board the Norwegian Prima
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), announced the premiere of its latest episode of "EMBARK with NCL" called "The Great Cruise Cookoff", it is a culinary battle starring three NCL chefs who compete to have their winning dish presented on board of the recently launched Norwegian Prima.
Hot on the heels of a historic debut in Reykjavik, Iceland, the new episode showcases the company's commitment to pushing the boundaries of traditional cruise ship cuisine by presenting the ultimate showdown between NCL's talented chefs. Hosted by Norwegian Prima Cruise Director Simon Akinwolere and NCL Senior Director of Culinary Development and Operations Christian Pratsch, viewers will get a front row seat to this high-stakes cooking showdown as each competing chef Rise to the challenge, showing off your culinary skills and sharpening your knives to prepare three creative dishes to judge.
Only one winner will be declared, entitling you to the honor of having your dish savored by thousands of NCL guests from around the world.
"We have a history of offering the best cuisine at sea," said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. "In fact, we're investing heavily in our food and beverage experience, so what better way to get the creative juices flowing than a friendly competition between our talented chefs." Sommer continued: 'The Great Cruise Cookoff' invites viewers into the kitchen and gives them a seat at the table to witness the behind-the-scenes action. I can't wait for our guests to see, smell and taste the winning dish!"
To watch the episode, tune in on September 15, 2022 at 8 pm ET at www.ncl.com/embark.


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Samsung, the world’s most popular handset corporation, hit a snag with the hyped up Samsung Galaxy S5. It received mixed reaction from technological critics and customers alike. But bad press isn’t the only casualty.
Chang Dong-Hoon, head of Samsung’s mobile design team, resigned last week due to the controversy. People criticized Galaxy S5 because of lack of hardware innovations and a cheap look. But Dong-Hoon will continue to lead the company’s design strategy. Dong-Hoon’s replacement as head of the design team is Lee Min-Hyouk, already VP of Mobile Design. Back in 2010, at 42, Min-Hyouk became Samsung’s youngest senior executive. Under his leadership, Sumsung’s Galaxy series surpassed Apple’s iPhone series as the world’s most popular smartphone.
That is, until Galaxy S5 came along. But it won’t or hasn’t damper Samsung’s major success. They’re still outselling Apple almost 2-to-1 in the smartphone game. Under the circumstance, this was the best move Samsung could have made. So Galaxy S5 wasn’t as earth-shattering as originally thought. At least they’re not throwing Dong-Hoon under the bus. It’s more of a demotion, and his service is still being valued. It was a smart move choosing a vice president to take his place, and the very man who virtually started the Samsung gravy train. Plus, there’s a legal storm coming. Apple’s claiming Sumsung’s been copying their mobile phone looks, particular in the US. And we here at Computer Geeks, tend to agree with them. So is this the team needed to withstand Samsung’s next challenges?


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Karachi ranks among 10 cheapest cities in the world
KARACHI: Pakistan’s commercial hub Karachi is one of the ten cheapest cities in the world when it comes to expenditures related to foods, transportation, health and other basic necessities, said a report released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on Thursday.
The Worldwide Cost of Living 2016 survey, comparing the price of a weighted basket of goods across 133 cities worldwide, put the Pakistan’s industrial hub at the 127 rank this year.
“Commodity prices, which are also falling back, could act as further deflators in some markets,” the report said.
“While it is clear that oil markets remain oversupplied, there are reasons to believe that there could be a slight rebound in prices in 2016.”
The EIU, which conducts this survey twice yearly, compares more than 400 individual prices across 160 products and services, including food, drink, clothing, household supplies and personal care items, home rents, transport, utility bills, private schools, domestic help and recreational costs. All cities are compared with a base city of New York, which has an index set at 100.
Karachi ranked 44 compared with the base city.
According to the survey findings, Karachi’s rank improved five notches from the last survey.
“The fall in the oil price in 2015 and early 2016 will put downward pressure on emerging and oil producing countries’ currencies, which will have a significant impact on pricing,” the EIU forecast. “On the one hand, falling oil prices will drive down inflation for goods and incomes for exporting countries.”
The report showed that Almaty of Kazakhstan, Algiers of Algeria and Chennai of India gained the same ranking as Karachi in the latest survey. Three other cities of India, including Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi were also found as the top ten cheapest countries in the world.
The ranking saw the 16 US cities surveyed climb up the ranking by an average of 18 places with New York and Los Angeles featuring among the ten most expensive cities for the first time since 2002.
Singapore retains its title as the world’s most expensive city for a third year in a row, but its lead over the next two cities in the ranking has nearly evaporated.
Zurich and Hong Kong follow closely in joint second place, with Hong Kong climbing seven places up the ranking in the last 12 months.
London, New York and Los Angeles also move up the ranking to 6th, 7th and 8th place, respectively, displacing Sydney, Melbourne and Oslo from the ten most expensive cities.
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Even though we’re several months away from the launch of Google’s own flagship, the Pixel 3/XL , we have some fresh leaks about how Google has designed this year’s phones.
Today, some tempered glass screen protectors have leaked out which show significant details about the upcoming two smartphones
As you can see in the above image, the Google Pixel 2 seems to have less bezels when compared to last year’s Pixel 2. The design is based on Google’s philosophy to release two smartphones with different sizes but having almost same specs except the screen size.
Unlike it’s smaller brother, the Pixel 3XL does have a notch. And it’s no surprise as Google already implemented Notch support on Android P. Currently in its Beta stage, Android P is available on dozens of devices with a variety of Developer Options to design their apps along with Notch compatibility.
It’s possible that the phone has a facial recognition sensor or perhaps, a dual front camera setup, which you can see as a cutout in the screen protector.
The notch got mixed reaction from the public, when it first commercially appeared on the iPhone X (and also the Essential Phone but that wasn’t a worldwide release..) and maybe that’s the reason Google is launching two phones one with the notch and the other simply without it.
What do you think about Google’s 2018 flagships? Let is know in the comments below.
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A campaign group has claimed a farm supplying milk to brands including Costa Coffee and Iceland is mistreating cows, with animals being “kicked and slapped” and living in faeces.
An investigation by animal rights campaign group Viva! claimed there have been “multiple incidents of animal cruelty” at a dairy farm in Kent that supplies cow’s milk to Freshways, a milk supplier to Caffe Nero, Nisa, Budgens, Londis and British Airways.
Undercover footage showed workers slapping and kicking cows at Home Farm in Kent, which has a herd of over 500 cows. The campaign group claimed the farm was “faeces-soaked”, and cows had to have their legs shackled to prevent them sliding in the sordid conditions.
Home Farm has denied the allegations, while standards body Red Tractor gave the farm a clean bill of health following an investigation.
Lex Rigby, head of investigations at Viva!, told Supply Management current law and regulation was “failing to protect” animals in supply chains.
Rigby said: “As a supplier to major food and drink retailers, Home Farm is approved by Red Tractor, a so-called world-leading food chain assurance scheme. A Red Tractor seal of approval suggests animals are cared for to a higher standard than basic government regulations. However, they saw the footage from Home Farm and denied any wrongdoing.
“These images of severely emaciated cows, bleeding wounds and improperly disposed of carcasses clearly speak for themselves and prove otherwise.”
She added: “Home Farm is a typical UK dairy farm, it’s not an anomaly. Dairy cows are treated this exact way day in, day out, all over the nation.”
Many of the animals were found to be malnourished, struggling to walk and lame, which can be a sign of extensive standing on hard floors and poor nutrition. They were also found to be suffering from mastitis – an infection caused by dirty living conditions and frequent milking.
Dead calves were found discarded in wheelie bins. Not properly disposing of animal caucuses can cause “the transmission of diseases” among animals and humans. One adult cow was found “shot in the head and dumped outdoors”.
“This is a blatant violation not only of the cow herself but also of UK regulations that dictate that farmers cannot leave the dead bodies of their animals out where scavengers can find them,” Viva! said.
Cows were further found to have “colossal udders” which was found to be causing cows “immense pain and distress”. Up to 25 litres of milk can accumulate in a cow’s udder, which is the equivalent of five bags of potatoes.
Viva! continued: “This is modern dairy farming. It’s unacceptable that animals are treated like this in 21st century Britain.”
Red Tractor said it had found the farm was complicit with standards following an investigation and it had “consistently demonstrated best practice in British dairy farming”.
A Freshways spokesperson said: “Our response mirrors the response made by Red Tractor and we are confident of their investigation.”
A British Airways spokesperson said: “We do not have a direct relationship with Freshways.”
A Costa Coffee spokesperson said: “Animal welfare is a key priority for us and our consumers, and we only work with suppliers that share our commitment to best practice in animal welfare management.”
The farm’s owner refuted the allegations to The Independent, saying it was “unlikely” farm conditions were filthy and denying cows were emaciated.
The other companies named by Viva! have been approached for comment.
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Bitcoin's price rally has stalled after a blistering start to the year with ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency after bitcoin, also falling sharply from its peak.
The bitcoin price has lost a third of its value since soaring to almost $65,000 per bitcoin in April while the ethereum price has crashed by almost 50% from its mid-May high—though ethereum's rally has dwarfed the bitcoin price surge over the last 12 months.
As Wall Street giants and retail investors flood the crypto market, traders are trying to predict whether ethereum will continue to outperform bitcoin—with $100 million digital asset investment manager Two Prime's chief investment officer forecasting ethereum will eventually "flip" bitcoin.
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"In the long, long, multi-year timeline, yes, ethereum will flip bitcoin," says Two Prime's Nathan Cox. "It's just now starting to be understood by the second-tier adopters. Ethereum's utility alone will outstrip anything else."
Bitcoin, at a price per coin of $40,000, has a market capitalization of around $750 billion, while ethereum, at $2,500 per ether token, is worth a combined near-$300 billion. However, ethereum has closed the gap on bitcoin over the last year, surging 1,000% compared to bitcoin's 300% rally.
The ethereum price has broken out this year in part due to the soaring popularity of decentralized finance (DeFi)—using cryptocurrency technology to recreate traditional bank products such as loans and insurance and built on top of ethereum's blockchain. Meanwhile, the NFT (non-fungible token) craze that has seen all manner of memes, digital artwork, tweets and YouTube videos sold via ethereum's blockchain has further boosted demand for ether.
"Bitcoin is digital gold but ethereum is digital oil," says Cox. The Caymen Islands-based Two Prime, which offers investors exposure to bitcoin and ethereum via its funds and has a target of $250 million assets under management by the end of the year, has launched a liquid yield fund to diversify from fixed income.
"Our outlook is bullish overall," says Cox, pointing to El Salvador's plans for widespread bitcoin adoption throughout the country as "more significant" than originally thought. "The majority of the pain of this pullback has probably been experienced already."
CryptoCodex—Helping you understand the world of bitcoin with brevity
Meanwhile, others in the cryptocurrency industry remain upbeat despite significant pullbacks for bitcoin and ethereum.
"Sentiment towards the king of crypto continues to shift into positive territory," Paolo Ardoino, the chief technology officer at British Virgin Islands-based bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex, said in emailed comments, warning that the likes of Tesla billionaire Elon Musk and high-profile investors such as renowned hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones are still wielding outsized influence over crypto prices.
This week, Tudor Jones gave the bitcoin price a boost when he said he was targeting a 5% bitcoin allocation, up from just 2% previously.
"While the past few days have shown once again that celebrities and the movers and shakers in the space can impact the price, this will not last forever," said Ardoino. "The momentum that has won bitcoin increasing recognition as an asset class continues to gather pace."


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Sears Holdings CEO Eddie Lampert Proposes Buying Kenmore Brand
ESL Investments, the hedge fund led by Sears Holdings CEO Eddie Lampert, is proposing to buy the Kenmore brand, Sears' Home Improvement business, its PartsDirect division and some of the chain's real estate. In a letter to Sears’ board on Friday, ESL said: "We continue to see value in Sears and its underlying assets, and believe strongly that with an appropriate runway Sears will be able to complete its transformation to respond to the challenging retail environment." In the letter, ESL, Sears’ second-largest shareholder behind Lampert himself, called Kenmore an "iconic brand" and said it would be prepared to close a deal for this asset within 90 days.. ESL also said it valued Sears’ Home Improvement and PartsDirect businesses together at $500 million and would pay for them in cash.
"In our view, pursuing these divestitures … will provide an important source of liquidity to Sears and could avoid any deterioration in the value of such assets," ESL said. Sears confirmed receipt of ESL's letter Monday morning, adding the proposal would be reviewed by an independent board of directors. The companies said Lampert, along with ESL President Kunal Kamlani, wouldn't participate in any discussions, negotiations or decisions "except to the extent specifically requested by that committee."
Total Retail's Take: Will this move be the one that keeps Sears Holdings alive? As we've been reporting now for several years, Sears is in dire straits. The retailer saw its sales drop nearly 30 percent during the holiday quarter, and it's still heavily in debt. Earlier this year, Sears also announced a round of more than 100 store closures under both the Sears and Kmart banners, all expected to be completed by the end of this month. But perhaps this will be the lifeline that the retailer needs to survive. Shares of Sears Holding Corp. are up 4 percent in recent trading after ESL's letter became public, and the company did successfully sell its Craftsman brand to Stanley Black & Decker for $900 million in 2017.


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A decade in the past, most discourse round marine litter concerned turtles ensnared by six-pack rings and useless seabirds with plastic spilling from their bellies. Now, “ocean plastic” is the modern time period. Yow will discover bits of previous soda bottles and fishing nets in sneakers from Sperry, purses from Rothy’s, bikinis from Reformation, sun shades from Norton Level, leggings from Girlfriend Collective and trench coats from Burberry. By the top of subsequent 12 months, Prada plans to part out virgin nylon in favour of “regenerated” Re-Nylon, made partly from reclaimed fishing nets.
Within the US, the variety of merchandise with “ocean waste” or “ocean plastic” of their title or product description is up 21 % this 12 months, in response to Edited, a retail intelligence agency. The fabric has struck a chord with shoppers at a time when plastic straw bans are the reason for the second: a 2019 survey by Shelton Group discovered that 65 % of US shoppers reported feeling very or extraordinarily involved about plastics within the oceans. Solely 58 % mentioned the identical about local weather change.
Ocean waste is the “excellent image to level out the worldwide plastic downside,” mentioned James Carnes, vp of worldwide technique at Adidas, which has cranked out greater than 35 million pairs of footwear utilizing yarns and filaments derived from coastal plastic waste and unlawful deep-sea gillnets collected by Parley for the Oceans, a nonprofit.
However the query, sustainability specialists say, is whether or not it may possibly ever be something greater than an emblem, or if “ocean plastic” is destined to change into one other time period that helps manufacturers promote garments however in apply does little to assist the surroundings.
“On the face of it, it appears like a win-win: tackling air pollution, recycling supplies, selling round financial system rules and elevating consciousness about plastic air pollution and the state of the oceans,” mentioned Rachel Horigan, sustainability analyst at Sancroft. “That mentioned, I do marvel what extent the development is pushed extra by client attraction than by precise impression.”
Plastic waste is an actual downside. Some eight million tonnes of plastic enters the world’s waterways yearly, in response to the Ocean Conservancy. Over time, bottles, packaging, nets and diverse trash break down into tinier and tinier items, however can take thousands and thousands of years to totally degrade. Within the meantime, these bits of plastic can hurt and even kill animals that eat them.
Plastic is theoretically higher off in a pair of footwear than on the ocean ground, then. However critics of the style trade’s adoption of the marine waste trigger say the latest boomlet in ocean plastic attire is a distraction at greatest. The US Heart for Worldwide Environmental Regulation predicts plastic manufacturing will balloon by 40 percent over the subsequent decade. Even when ocean plastic may ultimately supplant half of the world’s apparel-related polyester and nylon, it could solely scratch the floor.
“Of the entire sectors to make use of recycled plastic or ocean bound-plastic, the textile trade might be the final place you need to put it,” mentioned Anna Cummins, co-founder and interim government director of the 5 Gyres Institute, a nonprofit group that mixes marine analysis with activism.
Of the entire sectors to make use of recycled plastic or ocean bound-plastic, the textile trade might be the final place you need to put it.
Typically, corporations aren’t really dredging up plastic from the oceans, because it’s typically too degraded by the solar, waves or sand or fouled by marine organisms to be a helpful polymer any longer. When manufacturers say “ocean plastic,” they’re actually referring to “ocean-bound plastic,” a time period that might describe something from a fishing internet solid adrift within the Pacific Ocean to the bottle of soda you simply completed ingesting.
“No plastic begins within the ocean, proper? All of it comes from the land,” mentioned Ian Rosenberger, founder and CEO of First Mile, a social enterprise that connects waste-picking microeconomies with manufacturers akin to Ralph Lauren and Puma.
Few third-party certifications can point out whether or not “ocean-bound” materials really is headed for the ocean. For probably the most half, shoppers need to take manufacturers at their phrase. Among the many competing requirements: Waste2Wear, which debuted the primary traceable ocean plastic materials final 12 months, says it may possibly use blockchain to trace a completed textile product to its supply. Unifi, which works with manufacturers akin to Nixon and Mara Hoffman, says its Repreve Our Ocean line makes use of solely plastic bottles collected inside 50 kilometres of waterways or coastlines in creating international locations and impoverished areas. Oceanworks, which provides “ocean-bound” plastic buttons to Outerknown, differentiates between “ocean plastic,” which it describes as plastic litter harvested lower than 51 kilometres from the shore, and “averted plastic,” which it sources from greater than 51 kilometres away.
Some specialists imagine plastic litter is likely to be higher off channelled into larger-scale — if less-glamorous — industries that may recycle the fabric again and again, akin to packaging. Turning plastic waste into textiles is nowhere almost as environment friendly. Whereas polyester could be recycled, the method sometimes shortens and weakens fibres every time (Aquafil says its regenerated nylon could be repeatedly recycled with out ceding high quality).
In the end, clothes constructed from marine litter is prone to wind up in a landfill; higher than on the backside of the ocean, however not an answer to plastic waste.
“There’s higher infrastructure in place for sorting and cleansing soda bottles or water bottles, which we’ve been recycling for many years now,” mentioned Krystle Moody Wooden, principal at Materevolve, a textile consultancy. The style trade, she added, is “simply placing extra synthetics out into the world.”
Garments and footwear constructed from ocean waste additionally throw off simply as a lot microplastic as different synthetics. These tiny items of fabric slough off synthetic materials within the wash, slip by way of wastewater remedy filters and find yourself in rivers and oceans. As soon as there, they’re far harder to wash up than fishing nets or bottles.
If manufacturers need to deal with plastic air pollution, they need to assist laws that encourages a discount in single-use plastic objects or push for prolonged producer duty so plastic doesn’t leak into the surroundings within the first place, mentioned Cummins, with the 5 Gyres Institute. They could promote the usage of recycled supplies in merchandise that don’t require washing or have built-in take-back applications, like laptop components and cellphones.
Some corporations see a have to deal with the difficulty at each ends. Whereas it’s essential to deal with eliminating single-use plastics within the attire provide chain, mentioned Megan Stoneburner, Outerknown’s director of sustainability and sourcing, the trade additionally must shift away from virgin plastics “as rapidly as potential so we’re not persevering with to contribute to waste.”
Saskia van Gendt, head of sustainability at Rothy’s, described the model’s use of ocean plastic as a “illustration” to make use of plastic extra responsibly than an answer in and of itself.
“We all know we have to work upstream on the discount aspect … after which couple that with high-quality recycling and waste infrastructure,” she mentioned. “I’m hopeful that we are able to take into consideration a holistic answer … the [marine plastic-derived handbags are] a reminder of the significance of that answer.”
Proponents of plastic assortment — whether or not it’s particularly ocean-related or not — additionally word the social advantages to native communities in poor international locations akin to Haiti and Indonesia, the place waste choosing can present a supply of earnings. Tens of thousands and thousands of individuals all over the world earn a dwelling within the waste trade, First Mile’s Rosenberger mentioned.
“The final line of defence earlier than [a piece of plastic] results in the ocean, is an individual, often in a poor neighbourhood, someplace far-off, that’s … going to choose it up and make some cash to have the ability to feed their household,” he mentioned.
Ocean-plastic supplies, like all recycled supplies, come at a premium, and the margin can fluctuate extensively relying on the prevailing worth of oil. By most estimates, the price enhance could be between 5 % and 30 %. Economies of scale will push costs down and make it simpler for manufacturers to include such plastics of their assortment. Most of those merchandise are too new, nevertheless, to know whether or not they’ll stay fashionable with shoppers over the long term.
“Except this catches on, turns into tremendous financial to supply and has properties that match as much as present choices or higher, this can be a pleasant area of interest enterprise,” mentioned Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst at NPD Group. “Need solely will get us thus far; demand is what catapults merchandise into family every day utilization.”
Javier Goyeneche, founder and president of Ecoalf, which works with the fishing trade to trawl the ocean depths for waste, mentioned he is aware of that his Upcycling the Oceans initiative received’t remedy the plastic downside in a single day.
“I’m getting 200 tonnes out of the ocean yearly, however there’s one million tonnes coming into the oceans yearly,” he mentioned. “What I need to create is quite a lot of consciousness. We’d like quite a lot of schooling to [teach people to] keep away from that waste earlier than it enters the ocean. As soon as it’s within the ocean, it’s too late.”


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The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Star were at that point expected to be a portion of Google’s most costly cell phones when they are delivered not long from now. The most recent subtleties around the evaluating propose a shock is coming up, with an increment of more than $300 for certain models being examined.
The as of late sent off Pixel 7a was valued at $499, up $50 from the cost of the Pixel 6a it supplanted. That the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Expert would likewise see a cost rise, given the ongoing financial circumstances, has been normal.
However past reports, for example, those from noted insider Yogesh Brar, featured a potential cost increment on the Pixel 8 of between $50-$100. That would put it at the $699 mark contrasted with $599 for the Pixel 7 it would supplant; a mistake to many given the Pixel’s pitch as a reasonable cell phone donning top of the line specs.
The cost increments revealed this end of the week are altogether more. The team at Tech Outlook has suggested that the entry-level Pixel 8 in Europe will cost €225 more than the Pixel 7, and that the Pixel 8 Pro will cost €335 more than the previous phones; increases in price of about $240 and $360, respectively.
Now, the question is whether the price that was posted online was based on accurate information from the supply chain, or whether the retailer was trying to take pre-orders and decided to charge a higher price so that it wouldn’t have to pay more when the real price was shown.
On the off chance that we expect that the greater cost is right (at the end of the day, we should proceed a gesture towards Taniyama-Shimura), the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Ace will see one of the critical benefits of the past handsets, in particular the incentive for-cash contrasted with likewise specced Android cell phones, tore away.
That alone is persuasive evidence that the increase in price will be less than $300 and more like $100. The Pixel 8 family is refreshing a large part of the product and equipment from the Pixel 7 family, yet the data as of now accessible recommends nothing in excess of a remarkable yet iterative update.
The community will be shocked even by a $100 price increase. Pixel allies are preparing themselves at a cost rise, however are not prepared for substantially more. Many will trust that this shock is only an over-enthusiastic retailer.
Google is supposed to send off the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Star at its “Made For Google” occasion which is occurring on October fourth in New York and on the web.


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PlayStation Portable owners haven't seen a Call of Duty game on their platform since 2007's Call of Duty: Roads to Victory. That will change with the arrival of the next generation PSP, the NGP, says Activision. »1/27/11 7:30pm 1/27/11 7:30pm
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